AIDA Plus produces 22 virtual assistants in Misor: New batch from Basilan starts training

Twenty-two women from Misamis Oriental province have become certified virtual assistants (VAs) after recently completing their digital skills training from the Aboitiz Foundation’s AIDA Plus program.

The Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) of Villanueva town has announced in a Facebook post the graduation of 12 VAs from the town and another 10 VAs from the Municipality of Tagoloan.

The trainees were handed certificates of graduation as VA.

MSWDO-Villanueva thanked supporters of the training program, namely Villanueva Mayor Julio Uy, Aboitiz Foundation, SPI Power Inc., Ringcircle BPO, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and MSWDO-Tagoloan.

Aboitiz Foundation’s impact officer for jobs, Meldz Duran, graced the graduation ceremony.

AIDA Plus is an expanded digital skills-to-employment program of the Aboitiz Foundation that builds on the earlier women-focused Elevate AIDA program. While its predecessor — developed with Connected Women — focused strictly on training women in AI data annotation for remote work, AIDA Plus broadens its reach to include participants of all genders and offers a wider array of technical training courses.

Meanwhile, the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) of Isabela City announced in a Facebook post the start of the Elevate AIDA training of the latest batch of trainees in Isabela City, Basilan, opening more opportunities for Isabeleños to develop new skills and participate in the fast-growing digital economy.

The Batch 6-B Elevate AIDA trainees will undergo a 25-day online and on-the-job training through the city’s PESO and Connected Women. They will learn about artificial intelligence data annotation, including image identification, categorization, labeling, data organization and quality checking.

“More than learning technical skills, this training is also about building confidence, adaptability, and readiness for new ways of working. As the world continues to embrace technology, we hope to equip more Isabeleños with the knowledge and skills they need to take on new opportunities, including remote and digital work,” read the post from PESO-Isabela City.

The training is supported by the City Government of Isabela City and Mayor Sitti Djalia A. Turabin-Hataman as part of its continuing investment in the potential of its people — because every new skill learned can be a step toward a better opportunity and a brighter future.

The PESO thanked the Aboitiz Foundation, Connected Women and all partners for helping create more opportunities for the city and empower Isabeleños through learning, innovation, and meaningful pathways toward employment.

The Elevate AIDA previously trained 19 women comprising Batch 6-A in March.